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Bacteria could detect leaks at carbon capture sites

Researchers propose using bacteria and archaea to monitor stored CO2 and convert it into useful products, such as ethanol and acetate. This approach could enable the detection of potential CO2 leaks and contribute to making large-scale capture and storage of CO2 feasible.

SourceCell Press·JournalTrends in Biotechnology·DateOct 3, 2016

Carbon capture is substantial in secondary tropical forests

Research suggests that protecting natural forest regrowth in secondary tropical forests can significantly reduce carbon emissions. These young and middle-aged forests have the potential to capture equivalent amounts of carbon as Latin America and the Caribbean between 1993 and 2014. If left alone for 40 years, they could play a substan...

SourceClemson University·JournalScience Advances·DateMay 13, 2016

Carbon capture analyst: 'Coal should stay in the ground'

A new study from the University of Michigan found that most economic analyses of carbon capture and storage technology for coal-fired power plants severely underestimates its costs and overestimates its energy efficiency. The researchers conclude that renewable energy sources are likely to be cheaper than reducing carbon emissions from...

SourceUniversity of Michigan·JournalEnvironmental Science & Technology·DateDec 2, 2015

Vines add surprising variable to tropical forest carbon storage

A recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that woody vines, known as lianas, dramatically reduce tropical forests' ability to store carbon. By crowding out trees and killing them, lianas lead to reduced tree growth and increased tree death, resulting in a 76% decrease in above-ground biomass.

SourceUniversity of Minnesota·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 12, 2015

Waste coffee used as fuel storage

Researchers at UNIST developed a simple process to treat waste coffee grounds for methane storage using sodium hydroxide and heating. The process produces a stable carbon capture material with environmental benefits of recycling a waste product.

SourceIOP Publishing·JournalNanotechnology·DateSep 2, 2015

Ordinary clay can save the day

Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have discovered that ordinary clay can effectively capture carbon dioxide (CO2), rivaling other materials used for this purpose. The smectite clay's surface is responsible for binding CO2, with ions associated with the surface being the active capturers.

SourceNorwegian University of Science and Technology·JournalScientific Reports·DateApr 8, 2015

Cheap asphalt provides 'green' carbon capture

Rice University researchers have developed a new carbon capture material that can hold 114% of its weight in carbon dioxide, capturing more than current methods. The material is made from inexpensive asphalt and can be reused multiple times without degrading.

SourceRice University·JournalACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·DateJan 7, 2015

Buckyballs enhance carbon capture

Researchers at Rice University have created an environmentally friendly compound that effectively captures carbon dioxide emissions from industrial flue gases and natural gas wells. The new material, combined with buckminsterfullerene molecules, achieves high selectivity and efficiency in capturing carbon dioxide while rejecting methane.

SourceRice University·JournalScientific Reports·DateDec 3, 2014